Position-less Hairston finds big groove with smaller Tar Heels

North Carolina’s P.J. Hairston spends a moment with coach Roy Williams on Saturday.

The Associated Press

By Adam Smith / Times-News

Published: Tuesday, February 19, 2013 at 12:37 AM.

The smaller lineup that seems to have reinvented North Carolina has been fueled by easy-to-identify opportunities and mismatches created by P.J. Hairston’s increased playing time.

As for the name of the starting position Hairston has been plugged into, well, that’s not exactly definable.

“I don’t really know what I am,” the sophomore said. “I’m classified as a shooting guard, but I can pretty much play any position if I’m asked to.”

On defense, the 6-foot-5, 220-pound Hairston has been charged with guarding an opponent’s “4,” or power forward, and becoming more physical, especially when boxing out for rebounds.

On offense, though, the end of the court where he has poured in 52 points during the last two games, it’s not as if Hairston is anchored in the post, in the traditional power forward mold of a Tim Duncan or a Blake Griffin.

He hit six 3-pointers, a career high, in the Tar Heels’ 93-81 defeat of Virginia on Saturday, when 12 of his 14 shots from the field where launched beyond the arc.

And Hairston has been listed as a starter at guard in the Tar Heels’ last two box scores.

The smaller lineup that seems to have reinvented North Carolina has been fueled by easy-to-identify opportunities and mismatches created by P.J. Hairston’s increased playing time.

As for the name of the starting position Hairston has been plugged into, well, that’s not exactly definable.

“I don’t really know what I am,” the sophomore said. “I’m classified as a shooting guard, but I can pretty much play any position if I’m asked to.”

On defense, the 6-foot-5, 220-pound Hairston has been charged with guarding an opponent’s “4,” or power forward, and becoming more physical, especially when boxing out for rebounds.

On offense, though, the end of the court where he has poured in 52 points during the last two games, it’s not as if Hairston is anchored in the post, in the traditional power forward mold of a Tim Duncan or a Blake Griffin.

He hit six 3-pointers, a career high, in the Tar Heels’ 93-81 defeat of Virginia on Saturday, when 12 of his 14 shots from the field where launched beyond the arc.

And Hairston has been listed as a starter at guard in the Tar Heels’ last two box scores.

“He’s just a basketball player,” North Carolina point guard Marcus Paige said. “He’s hitting the boards, he’s making shots, he’s taking charges. When he plays like that, it helps everybody else out and we’re a tough team.

“When he’s giving that kind of effort, we can play him at any position. It just gives us more options. With P.J. at the ‘4,’ he stretches the defense so much.”

Maybe guard Dexter Strickland put it the most succinctly after Saturday’s victory.

“Just having him on the floor is just making everything better,” Strickland said, referring to Hairston.

The Tar Heels’ rebounding hasn’t suffered since going small. Hairston grabbed eight rebounds at Duke, with all except one coming on the offensive glass, and he pulled down seven more boards against Virginia.

And North Carolina’s scoring potential now has gained an unquestionable boost.

Hairston’s career-best 29 points Saturday, the most for a Tar Heels player this season, had the Smith Center crowd chanting his name — “P-J Hair-ston” — at times.

He has supplied 122 points in his last 140 minutes played.

“I’m just being aggressive,” Hairston said. “Knowing that I’m in the starting lineup now, I don’t get the chance to spectate the other teams. Now I just come out with an intensity to compete against other teams and just find out what their weaknesses are.”

Tip-off

Who: North Carolina (17-8, 7-5) at Georgia Tech (14-10, 4-8)

When: 9 tonight (ACC Network)

Where: McCamish Pavilion, Atlanta

Series: North Carolina leads 62-24 and won 79-63 when these teams met Jan. 23 in Chapel Hill